Automatic power-controller for elevators



(No Model.)

` K' 1 2 Sheet',s-Shee1'l 1. lL H. LAING. AUTOMATIC PGWERVGONTROLLERPOR E LEVATORS. No. 562,331.

PatentedJune 16, 1896,

c WMIIVIIIIHIIII 2 Sheets-Sheet;` 2j

' (N0 Model.)

J. H. LAING. AUTOMATIC `POWERGOIWROLLFR FOR ELEVATORS.

P atentedJune 16, 1896'.

NiTnn STATES PATENT Prion'.

JOHN H. LAING, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC POWER-CONTROLLER FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,331, dated J' une 16, 1896.

Application led March 14, 1896.

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. LAING, of Pittsy burg, in the county of Allegheny and State of `'rains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic power controllers for elevators, and pertains to providing electric means for locking the power-controller when any one or more of the doors are open and keeping the power-controller firmly locked against movement until the door or doors are closed,- whereby the elevator-operator cannot move the car until he has closed the door.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple locking device which is complete within itself, adapted to be applied to the ordinary elevator without rearranging or altering in any manner the elevator mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to provide a box carrying inverted electromagnets suspended therein, the armature-lever being below the magnets and carrying the locking arms or device, whereby the current is not being consumed when the elevator door or doors are closed, the armature-lever or locking device carried thereby dropping by gravity out of the path traveled by the elevator power-controller.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of an elevator-shaft and power-actuating mechanism, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal arrangement of the circuit closers and breakers actuated by the opening and closing of the doors. Fig. 3 is a detached enlarged perspective view of the locking mechanism, the boX being broken away to show the interior construction thereof, and the power-controlling wheel being shown removed therefrom tov better illustrate its construction. Fig. 4 is an ,enlarged perspective view of a portion of the power-con- Serial No. 583,210. (No model.)

I `trolling wheel, showing the locking-lugs attached thereto. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through the box G, taken longitudinal the armature-lever, and shown in connection with the elevator power-controlling wheel which is locked bythe armature-lever.

In the accompanying drawings, A indicates the shaft, and B the doors; C, the actuatingcylinder, and D the power-controlling wheel, which in this instance is a valve-wheel. vIn this instance I am showing my invention applied to the ordinary hydraulic-elevator mechanism, though it is equally adapted for other kinds of elevators, as will be fully understood from the following description of the invention.

My locking device consists of a boX G, having suspended from its top the inverted electromagnets H, beneath which is the armature I, being pivoted at its' inner end and having its outer end projecting through a slot CZ in the end walls of the boX G. The projecting end of the armature-lever I is adapted to engage between the tapered blocks K K, which I secure to the valve-wheel D, in any suitable and convenient manner. This box G is supported or held in the proper position by means of a support L, here shown as eX- tending laterally therefrom with its end bent downward and bolted to one of the elevatorshaft posts. However, this support and the manner of supporting the box will vary according to theparticular conditions of each elevator, the object being to support the box with its end through which the armature-lever I.projects close to the face of the wheel D, so that the projecting end of the armaturelever, when drawn upward, will have its upper edge engage the tapered under sides of the blocks K K, and when the circuit is closed and the armature-lever attracted to the electromagnetsthe projecting end will move upward into the slot between the blocks K K upon the wheel D and lock the lwheel against any movement whatsoever as long as the electric circuit is closed, as will be clearly understood. When in this locked position the elevator-man cannot move the power-controlling wheel or other device through the medium of the operating rope N, which extends up through the elevator-car as usual. The slot IOO d in box G is of such a length as to limit the upward movement of the armature-lever I to a point not above the under tapered edges of the blocks K K, so that it will always engage the tapered under sides of the blocks when attracted upward and thus insure the passage of its ends beneath the blocks and the positive locking of the controlling device or wheel D.

Any desired character ot' battery E is provided, the main lines a a of which extend up the elevator-post, and the electromagnets II are connected in the circuit, as clearly shown. Situated at each landing are the boxes M, which carry the circuit breakers and closers Q P. Q is an endwise spring-actuated bolt held normally outward by the spring S, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, and this bolt carries at its inner end the tapered collar e, adapted to engage the outturned ends of the springs P, said springs or contacts being connected, respectively, tothe main line, as also clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. When these bolts are pushed inward by the closing of the doors, the collar is carried out of engagement with the springs P,thus breaking the circuit,which releases the gravity armature-lever I and it drops from engagement with the blocks K K of the power-controlling device or wheel D, thus permitting the elevator-man to operate the elevator in either direction. When, however, either of the doors are opened, the elevator cannot be moved, owing to the fact that the controller Dis locked, which makes it necessary for the elevator-man to close the door before the elevator can be started. The boxes M are provided with lateral flanges f, by means of which they are readily connected to the elevator-shaft inl aV position to be engaged by the edge of the doors. Springs P are connected with the main line by the wires c b, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and these connections being only the ordinary connections of such devices in an electric circuit, no further description is necessary.

From this description it will be seen that the circuit is normally an open circuit, the doors being closed, and that the circuit is only closed when one or more of the doors are opened. This eltectsa great saving of the current as compared with an electrical device arranged in the opposite manner, namely, with the normally closed circuit. As here shown, my invention is connected with a hydraulic elevator in which a rotating wheel Dfisused, but it will be readily understood that a locking device of this character is adapted to cooperate with other controlling devices used in connection withother elevators.

The armature-lever I, extending. through the slot inthe box, is held by the walls of the slot against lateral movement when in engagementwith the wheel D, and the free end of` the armature -lever being below the wheel D is` held by gravity normally out of contact therewith, and the magnet being above the armature-lever should the electric circuit or mechanism become inoperative the arma-turelever will by its own gravity drop out of contact with the wheel and prevent the starting and stopping mechanism from being interfered with. Attention is also directed to the fact that no springs are used, and that only the positive action of gravity is depended upon to release the armature from the controlling device.

The device as shown and described will readily be seen as very simple and cheap and quickly and readily adapted to be attached to the elevators now in use for the purpose of automatically locking the controlling device whenever one of the doors is open.

The end of the armature-lever I projects but a shorty distancebeyond the wall of thc box, so that when it is in engagement with the shoulders K K of the controlling-wheel D, the wheel cannot move except by abso lutely cutting the armature oft, or tearing away the box and its support. The length of the slot CZ is such that the armature is not pen mitted to move upward sufliciently to engage the core of the magnet, so that the armature will instantly fall when the current is broken.

IIavin g thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-.

I. An automatic lock forelevatoncontrollerscomprising an electric circuit including contact closers and breakers, the doors con trolling said contact, an armaturedever pv oted at one end, a controlling device for the elevator-power, the free endfof the armaturelever adapted to engage the same but nor mally held out of contact therewith by grav-= ity, and an electromagnet within the saidcircuit and situated between the free end of the armature-lever and its pivotal point to attract it toward the controlling device when the circuit is closed by any one of the circuitclosers, substantially as described.

2. An electric locking device for elevatorcontrollers comprising a box, the inverted magnet supported therein, an armature-lever below the magnet and having one end pivoted thereto, .the box having an opening in one wall through which the free endof the armature-lever extends, in combination with an elevator-controller having tapered shoulders with which such free end of the armature is adapted to engage, the opening in the box servin g as a limiting means for the armature lever to prevent its rising above-the tapers of the locking-shoulders or engaging the cores of the magnet, substantially as described.

3. An electric locking device for elevatorcontrollers comprising a box, an armaturelcver having one end pivoted within the box, one end of the box provided with an. opening through which the end of the armature-lever passes, the free end of the armature-lever IOO IIO

being below and held normailyout oi Contact with the controller by gravity, the electromagnet suppoited in an inverted position above the armature-lever and at a point between its free end and pivotal point to operate as described, and the Controller having lockingshouldei's in which the free end of the armature-lever is adapted to engage when attracted by the eieetrolnagnet, substantially as described. 1o

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

J OHN I-I. LAING.

Witnesses:

WM. G. BROWN, HARRY C. NIEHAUS. 

